Posts Tagged ‘Avenue Louise’

I have been hearing about Izakaya for years. As the story goes, it used to be a place run by and for Japanese customers only (or you had to at least be Japanese-speaking). I guess times change, and now there are non-Japanese customers such as myself who venture to try it. But, by the number of Japanese clientele it seems it has quite authentic cuisine (or they could just be there for the Japanese karaoke found in the basement). Above you see the free starter everyone gets but not everyone enjoys. Its tangy, sweet, fishy. Those familiar with real (not the Westernized versions) of Japanese, Korean or even Chinese cuisine will taste familiar flavors and textures. Those less familiar will either love it or hate it.

We decided to try a variety of dishes including the above mixed platter (~10 euros) of yakitori and other grilled meats. The chicken, mushroom and shrimp were by far the best. The strange one was the cheese and bacon. Question mark there.

Above the grilled mackerel, a favorite with fish lovers and recommended here as it was quite tasty.

The karaage (fried chicken) was also done well for those familiar with this dish. Crispy and crunchy.

We also tried many other dishes such as the udon, tempura, chicken with rice and so on. Overall, our group had mixed reviews. Some people loved it. The udon was overcooked and the noodles were soggy which was a disappointment. The tempura was perfect ~ light, fluffy, tasty but a bit expensive at 18 euros for 6 – 7 pieces. In spite of being a bit expensive (we paid 35 euros a person and not everyone felt they had eaten sufficiently) I would recommend this place ~ order some warm or chilled sake, enjoy the dishes in a tapas-style way sharing with your friends and try something Japanese other than sushi!

Would you pay 26 euros per person for a dinner that began serving the starters two hours late, even with reservations, and had average food? Some friends recounted a recent atrocious restaurant experience just like that at Les Salons de l’Atalaide in St. Gilles. Some people were done with their entire meals before others started theirs (this was around 10pm at night, so you can imagine their hunger), and I’m sure more than one diner was enraged about it.

Maybe this was an off night, and maybe not. It’s too bad, too, because the ambiance seems classy enough, including the upstairs bar. Food experiences there could have so much potential. Looks like another incident of potential wasted.

I tried a dessert dish at the Häagen-Dazs cafe franchise by the Louise metro, ever packed with patrons even in the winter. They gave me a macadamia nut and white and dark chocolate warm cookie plated with one scoop of coffee-flavored fudge ice cream, a second of vanilla-caramel ice cream, and a dollop of whipped cream with chocolate sauce (~9 euros), along with a small cup of requisite water. I smelled the rich and sweet aroma of the confection. My expectations were high.

That cookie confounded me with the strangest pleasurable experience. I had expected a different flavor, perhaps because of memories of other treats from Hawaii to New York City, but it did not taste like any cookie I had before. It reminded me of extra-rich vanilla cupcake rather than a cookie because of its flavor and its fluffiness in the center. At the same time the gradually denser and crustier outer ring concentrated so much interestingly bright flavor into its textures that I could not stop myself from reflecting upon each morsel in my mouth. It contained sweetness, nuttiness, crunchiness from the flecks of roasted and crushed nuts coating the outside, nostalgic vanilla, and a tinge of saltiness that completed the circle. I wanted a cookie that I remembered and instead got one that created an entirely new memory.

As for the ice cream, I did not actually know one scoop was coffee-flavored when I ordered it, and I do not like like coffee and must recuse myself from judging it. My friend ate that. The vanilla ice cream was respectable, though nothing out of the ordinary. The cold of it contrasted well with the warm, sizable cookie.

I must try the chocolate fondue there when I have money to spare and the place is not crowded like a stable. Many queued to be seated, the place seemed extremely hectic, and the time to get our bill from the waitress annoyed us. However, if I can stand higher prices, corporate marketing, and an uncharming atmosphere that belies corporate chic, then some of the treats here really can satisfy some of my cravings.